Trap.



No. 874,335. PATENTED DBG. 17, 1907. j

w. H. HARDBN.

TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNI'. 1l. 1907.

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No. 874,335. PATENTBD DEC. 17?, 1907.

W. H. HARDEN.

TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNI: 17, 1907. v

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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No. 874,335. PATENTED DEG. 17, 1907.

w. H. HARDEN.

TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17I 1907.

5 SHBETSfSHEET 3.

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n (Qu WLLIAM H HARDBN Z I '9)' Wt I l W A TTOHNEYSl PTENTED DBU. 1'7,1907.

l No. 874,335.

W. H. HARDBN, TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNB'17, 1907.

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W/TNESSES /NVENTOH M 4, L 4 ATTORNEYS- rHE nemers PETERS co.. wAsHmcmN,D. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM HAMILTON IIARDEN, OF QUITMAN, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOJOHN E. GIBSON, OF QUITMAN, GEORGIA@ TRAP.

i Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 17, 1907.

Application filed June 17, 1907. Serial No. 379,409.

To all whom it may concern: p

Be it known that I, VILLIAM HAMILTON HARDEN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Quitman, in the county of Brooks and State ofGeorgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traps, ofwhich the following is a speciiica tion.

My invention is an improvement in traps, and especially in that class oftraps known as self-set anc "ever-set, and the inven tion consists incertain novel constructions and combinations of parts, as will behereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a trap embodying myinvention, looking at the front end of the trap. Fig. 2 is a rearelevation of the trap partly broken away. Fig. 3 is a verticallongitudinal section on about line 3 3 of Figs. 5 and l0. Fig. 4 is avertical longitudinal section on about line'4-4 of Figs. 5 and l0. Fig.5 is a top plan view of the trap, the top plate or cover being removed.Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on about line 6 -6 of Fig. ll. Fig. 7 isa section on the same line illustrating the parts in a differentposition. Fig. 8 is a detail vertical section on about line 8 3 of Fig.3. Fig. 9 is a section on the same line showing the parts in a differentposition. Fig. 10 is a front elevation of the apparatus the front boardor plate being removed and the door being shown as raised to permit theentrance of a rat. -Fig. ll is a view similar to Fig. l0 showing thedoor lowered, and Fig. l2 is a detail view illustrating the carriage andthe power driven wheel for readjusting the same in order to-open thedoor, all of which will be more fully described.

The sides, top and ends of the trap, which latter may be of any suitabledesign, may be suitably closed by means of wire netting or otherwise, asfound desirable, and I make the trap with an entrance opening A, leadingto what for convenience of reference I term the entrance chamber A intowhich the rat enters, after it passes below the door B. The chamber A isprovided with a tilting platform C, pivoted at C', weighted at its frontend C2 to normally assume the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 andarranged at its rear end to be depressed by the weight of a rat to thedotted line position shown in Fig. 3. This platform C extends from sideto side of the trap and forms the bottom of the major portion of theentrance chamber, the bait holder D being in rear of the entrancechamber so the animal will enter, and pass onto` the rear end of theplatform O in seeking the bait. When the animal passes onto the rear endof the platform, and the latter is depressed to the dotted line positionshown in Fig. 3, this operation through the intermediate devicespresently described will release the door B and the latter will fall,retaining the animal in the entrance chamber A.v In seeking to escapethe ani mal will pass from the entrance chamber A, upwardly through theintermediate passage E and thence through an opening F in the trap doorF into the trap chamber G. The trap door F is'pivoted at F2 so its rearend may be lowered by the weight of the animal assing thereon to theposition indicated in dotted lines Fig. 4, delivering the animal to thecage chamber H. This cage chamber forms a storage-space in which theanimal is retained until it is desired to remove it, which may be easilyaccomplished by unlatching at H the rear wall H2 of the cage chamber,said wall being hinged at its lower end at H3, so it can be opened toremove the rats when desired. As the ,animal passes onto the rear end ofthe trap door F, the latter is tilted and the upward movement of itsfront end operates through the devices presently described to readjustthe door from the closed position shown in Figs. 1 and ll to the openposition shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 10 so the animal will automaticallydrop the door to close the same and then by his course through the trapwill operate the devices which will effect the opening of the door.

In operating certain of the parts, I provide a clock train I, see Figs.l8 and 9 and this clock train has a notched wheel I and a fly fan I2, intrain and on one ofthe shafts of the train, referably the shaft of thenotched wheel lJ, I provide an armed wheel whose arms I3, indicated indotted lines Figs. 3 and 9, and shown in Figs. 10 and ll, operate toreadjust the carriage presently described and also to release certaindevices operated from the trap door F.

A lever J extends over the clock train, is pivoted at J between its endsand is weighted at one end J 2 to normally assume the position shown inFig. 3, and at its other end the lever 'J is arranged at J3 to bedepressed by the action of a' lever K which extends transversely acrossthe end J3 of the lever, see Figs. 4, 5, 8, and 9, and is weighted atits front end K to normally assume the position shown in Fig. 3, inwhich it will not operate upon the lever J. The lever J is provided witha dog J4 which enters the notches of the wheel I when in the positionshown in Fig. 8, and rides upon the edge of the wheel I in the positionshown in Fig. 9 and the said lever J also has an arm J5 which projectsinto and out of the ath of the ily fan I2 and when in the path oi) saidy fan restrains the operation of the clock train and when out of thepath of said fly fan permits the clock train to operate as will beunderstood from Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings. The lever J thereforeoperates as a means for restraining the operation of the clock train andthis lever J is freed from engagement with the clock train by the actionof the lever K, which lever K is operated by the aid of the trap door F,as will now be described.

At its front end the trap door is provided with a hanger plate L,pivoted at its upper end L to the front end of the trap door andprovided on its front face near its lower swinging end with a ratchettooth L2 having a square lower edge which projects forwardly from thefront face of the hanger plate L and an inclined upper face which slopesfrom the front edge of the lower square face of the tooth L2 toward thefront face of the hanger plate L, as shown in Fig. 4. A slide M in theform of a plate is mounted to slide up and down on rodsM and this slideM is provided at its lower'end with a rearwardly projecting wing M2 uponwhich the square lower end of the tooth L2engages when the trap door istilted to the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 4, so that when thetrap door swings by gravity after the animal passes into the cagechamber, to the position shown in Fig. 4, it will lower the plate M andthis plate as it is lowered operates to rock the lever K which connectsat its rear end with the slide LNI by projecting through an opening M3in said slide to cause the rear end of the lever K to depress the end J3of the lever J and thus free said restraining lever J from engagementwith the clock train so the latter may move one step from notch to notchof the wheel I to cause a quarter revolution of the said wheel I and ofthe armed wheel I3 on the shaft of said notched wheel l, this operationeffecting a readjustment of the devices in order to open the door, aspresently described.

/Vhen the slide M is lowered to rock the lever K, it is desired toquickly release the slide after its downward movement so the restraininglever J will be free after it has escaped from the notch of the wheel 1,so it may ride on the edge of the said wheel I to enter the neXtsucceeding notch. This is effected by a push rod L3 arranged as bestunderstood from Figs. 10 and ll.

showo in Fig. 4, and arranged to be pushed back at its rear end againstthe front side of the plate L and alongside the tooth L2 in order toshift the hanger plate L from the dotted line position to the full lineposition, as shown in Fig. 4. This push rod L3 is operated by a lever L4to which it is connected at one end L5, the lever L4 being pivoted at L,actuated by a spring L7 normally to the position shown in Fig. 6 inwhich it turns the push rod L3 forwardly and provided at one end with acam L8 on which the arms I3 of the clock train operate, as will beunderstood from Figs. 6, 7 and 11.

In operation when the push rod L3 is forced forwardly by the operationof the lever L4 by the arm I3, as will be understood from Fig. 6, theratchet tooth of the hanger rod will be freed from engagement with thewing M2 of the slide M, see Fig. 4 and the latter will be readjusted tothe position shown in Fig. 4 by the lever K, which is weighted at K, asbefore described.

In the operation of the trap door, and the parts connected therewith, itwill be noticed that when the trap door is tilted, to the dotted lineposition shown in Fig. 4, it will lift at its front end the hanger plateL so the tooth L2 thereof will be adjusted into engagement with theslide plate M. Then when the trap door is readjusted to the full lineposition shown in Fig. 4, it will force down with its hanger plate L theslide M. This operation through the lever K will free the restraininglever J from engagement with the clock train and the latter may beturned a quarter revolution. In so doing its arms I3 will operate thepush rod L3 by the aid of the lever L1 to free the hanger plate L fromengagement with the slide M so the latter may be readjusted by theaction of the lever K to position for a new operation, and the lever Kwill adjust to position to free the restraining lever J so the lattermay operate to check the movement of the clock train at the succeedingnotch in the wheel I. Such operation of the clock train by the aid ofits arms I3 operates to re-open the door B of the trap, thus setting itfor another rat. To this end I suspend the door B which operates insuitable guides B from a drum N by means of a strap or connectionN sothe door will drop by gravity when the drum is freed and may be raisedby the proper turning of said drum, as will now be described. Forturning the drum to raise the door I provide a laterally slidingcarriage, partially shown in detail in Fig. 12, and comprising a body Oto which is attached a strap N 2 which connects the carriage with thedrum so the carriage when moved from the position shown in Fig. l1 tothat shown in Fig. 10 will turn the drum in the direction indicated bythe arrow in Fig. l1, and will thus raise the door B, as will be Thisbody O of the carriage slides on guides P and P which are preferably ofglass, so they will not corrode in the use of the invention. Thecarriage when moved to the position shown in Fig. l0 is held by a latchQ, pivoted at Q', limited in its rocking movements at Q2, and arrangedat Q3 to engage with a plate O on the carriage when the latch is in theposition shown in Fig. 10. If this latch should be raised at its end Q3from the position shown in Fig. 10 to that shown in Fig. 11, it wouldrelease the carriage and the door would dropA by gravity from the openposition shown in Fig. 10 to the closed position shown in Fig. 1l, thecarriage sliding freely back on its guides P and P to the position shownin Fig. 11. To release the latch Q, I provide the lever R extending fromthe front to the rear of the trap, weighted at its front end at R andunderlying at said end the latch Q, being for such purpose provided atits front endwith a lug or extension R2 so that when the lever R whichnormally is in the position shown in Fig. 3 is tilted to the dotted lineposition shown in said figure it will free the latch to release the doorso the latter may fall. At its rear end the lever R is provided with adepending rod R3, suitably guided at its lower end and provided at saidend with a plate R4 in the form of a disk underlying the rear edge ofthe tilting platform C, so that when the rat passes onto the rear endof' the platform C and it has assumed the dotted line position shown inFig. 3, he will operate the rod R3 and the lever R to release the latchand permit the door to close, thus trapping the animal. The readjustmentof the door to open position is effected by the arms I3 of the clocktrain, the said arms when turning a quarter revolution pressing againstthe bearing surface on the carriage as shown in Fig. 12 so that the armsI3 of the train will move the carriage from the position shown in Fig.-11 to that shown in Fig. 10. The connecting rod R3 is carried through anupright tube H4 eX- tending upwardly through the cage chamber H andcommunicating at its upper end with the rear `end of a box R5 in whichthe lever R operates so the said parts will not be interfered with bythe rats when in the trap.

From the foregoing in connection with the accompanying drawings, it willbe noticed that I provide a trap having an entrance chamber, a trapchamber, a passage connecting the entrance and the trap chambers, andcage chamber together with a door for the entrance chamber, a tiltingplatform in said chamber, means whereby the platform may operate topermit the door to close, a tilting trap door between the trap chamberand the cage chamber, and means actuated by the trap door whereby tore-open the door, said means comprising a clock train or power mechanismwhich I prefer to inclose within what for convenience of reference Iterm the power chamber S at the front of the machine and over the frontend of the entrance chamber.

In operation, supposing the parts to be in the position shown in Figs.3, 4, 5, 6 and 10, if a rat enters the entrance chamber and passes ontothe rear end of' the tilting platform C, his weight will tilt theplatform to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3. This will depressthe rod R3, rock the lever R from the full line position, Fig. 3, to thedotted line position in said iigure, the front end of the lever R willraise the latch Q out of engagement with the carriage and the weight ofthe door will cause thc same to drop to the closed position, as shownin. Fig. l1. The rat is now trapped. Seeking an escape he will passthrough the passage E onto the trap door, F. He then passes onto therear end of the trap door F, tilting the same to the dotted lineposition shown in Fig. 4, and is then deposited in the cage chamber.This tilting of the trap door will raise the hanger plate L to thedotted line position shown in Fig. 4, so that when the trap door dropsby gravity to the full line position, Fig. 4, it will force the slide Mdown. In this operation the said slide will rock the lever K from thefull line position shown in Fig. 4 to the-dotted line position shown inthe same figure and this lever K will in such operation depress the endJ3 of the restraining lever J and free said restraining lever fromengagement with the clock train so the latter may be turned one step. Inthus turning one step, one of the arms I3 of the clock train will movethe carriage O from the position shown in Fig. l1 to that shown in Fig.10 re-opening the door for the entrance of another rat, and another armIS of the clock train will operate upon the lever L4 to tilt the same tothe dotted line position shown in Fig. 6 and illustrated in full linesFig. 7 in which it will operate the push rod L3 to shift the hangerplate L out of engagement with the slide M so the latter may bereadjusted to the position shown in Fig. 4 by the action of the lever K,the latter freeing the restraining lever J so the said lever J may be inposition to engage by its dog J4 with the notched wheel I and by its armJ 5 with the ily lan I2, thus stopping the operation of the motor at theproper time. This operation may be repeated a number of times accordingto the capacity of the clock train. An ordinary clock train will providefor about fifty operations, after which the clock may be re-wonnd at T,see Fig. 2, for another series of' operations.

I claim- 1. A trap having an entrance chamber, a trap chamber, apassageway connecting the entrance chamber and the trap chamber, and acage chamber combined with a door for the entrance chamber, a tiltingplatform in said chamber, means whereby the platform may operate topermit the door to close, a trap door between the trap chamber and thecage chamber, a clock train for opening the entrance door, a slide,means carried by the trap door for operating the slide in one direction,a restraining device for the clock train, means operated by the slidefor releasing the restraining device, and means operated by the clocktrain for freeing the slide from engagement with the means carried bythe trap door for operating the said slide, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in a trap of an entrance chamber, a door therefor, atilting platform, means operated from the platform for releasing thedoor to permit the latter to close, means for opening the door, a trapdoor arranged for operation by the trapped animal, a hanger platepivoted at its upper end to the trap door and having a ratchet tooth, aslide plate having a portion for engagement by said tooth, means forreleasing the ratchet tooth from engagement with the slide, a clocktrain for opening the entrance door, a restraining device for said trainand means operated from the slide plate whereby to release therestraining device, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination in a trap of a tilting trap door, a hanger platesuspended therefrom and provided with a ratchet tooth, a slide having aportion for engagement by such ratchet tooth whereby the slide may beoperated by the movement of the trap door, a clock train, means forrestraining the same, means whereby the restraining means are releasedby the operation of the slide, and means operated by the clock train forreleasing the hanger plate from engagementwith the slide. l

4. The combination in a trap of an entrance door, a clock train, meansoperated thereby for opening the door, a tilting platform, a tiltingtrap door, a slide, means in connection with the trap door for operatingthe slide in one direction, a restraining device for the clock train,means operated by the slide for releasing said restraining device, andmeans operated by the clock train for freeing the slide from engagementwith the means on the trap door for operating said slide, substantiallyas set forth.

5. The combination in a trap with a tilting trap door and a hanger platepivoted at its upper end t'o and depending from said trap door andprovided with a ratchet tooth, of a slide having a portion forengagement by the ratchet tooth, a push rod for freeing the tooth fromengagement with the slide, an entrance door, a clock train, meanswhereby the clock train may operate to open the entrance door, arestraining device for the clock train, a lever operated by the slidewhereby to free the restraining device from the clock train, and a leveroperated by the clock train and arranged to move the push rod forfreeing the hanger plate, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination in a trap of an entrance door, a drum, meanssuspending the door from the drum, a laterally sliding carriage,supporting means of glass on which said carriage slides, meansconnecting the carriage with the drum whereby it may operate the drum toopen the door, and means for operating the carriage,

7. 1n a trap, the combination of an entrance door, a drum, meanssuspending the door from the drum, a laterally sliding carriage, meansconnecting the carriage with the drum, a clock train having revolvingarms arranged to engage the carriage to shift the same to position toopen the door, a detent for holding the carriage in such position, andmeans for operation by the trapped animal whereby to release the detent,substantially as set forth.

8. In a trap the combination of a vertically sliding entrance door, adrum for raising the same, a clock train and means operated thereby forturning the drum to open the door, means whereby the clock train may beset into operation by a trapped animal, and means operated by thetrapped animal fpr releasing the door to permit the same to c ose.

9. The combination in a trap of a vertically sliding entrance door, adrum connected with the door for opening the same, a tilting platform inthe path of the animal through the trap, a tilting trap door in theanimals path and in rear of the tilting platform, means operated by thetilting platform for permitting the entrance door to close, and meansoperated from the tilting trap door for re-opening the door,vsubstantially as set forth.

10. A trap having an entrance chamber, a tilting platform a trapchamber, a cage chamber and a power chamber combined with a clock trainin the power chamber, an entrance door, a drum connected with theentrance door for opening the same, a laterally sliding carriageconnected with the drum for turning the same to open the door, a detentfor said carriage, a lever for releasing the detent, a box in which saidlever is incased, a tube extending from said box through the cagechamber and a rod extending through said tube and connected at its upperend with the lever and arranged at its lower end for operation by thetilting platform, a restraining device for the clock train, a trap door,means operated from the trap door for releasing the restraining deviceof the clock train, and means in the clock train for operating thecarriage to'turn the drum to re-open the door, substantially as setforth.

l1. In a trap the combination of an entrance door, a drum, means forsuspending the door from the drum, a movable carriage, means connectingthe carriage with the drum whereby it may operate the drum to operatethe door and a clock train having means operating upon the carriagewhereby to actuate the same to open the door, substantially as setforth.

12. A trap having a vertically sliding entrance door, a laterallysliding carriage, intermediate devices between the carriage and theentrance door whereby the movement of the carriage may open the door, aclock train having means engaging with the carriage to actuate the sameto open the door, a detent engaging with the carriage for holding thesame in position with the door open, and means operated by the trappedanimal for releasing the detent, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination in a trap of a vertically sliding entrance door,laterally extending glass guides arranged one above the other above saiddoor, a carriage movable laterally on said guides, a drum, meanssuspending the entrance door from the drum, means connecting the drumwith thegcarriage, a clock train for moving the carriage to position toopen the door, a detent for retaining the carriage in such position, andmeans for releasing the detent, substantially as set forth.

14. The combination in a trap of the entrance door, a clock train, meansfor opening the door through the aid of the clock train, a restrainingdevice for the clock train, a lever for releasing the restrainingdevice, a slide plate for rocking said releasing lever, a trap doorhaving means for depressing the slide plate, a push rod for moving saidmeans out of engagement with the slide plate, a lever connected withsaid push rod and having a cam for operation by the clock train wherebyto rock the lever in one direction, and a s ring for readjustingthelever, substantial y as set forth.

15. In a trap the combination of a tilting trap door having an openingthrough it for the passage of an animal, a hanger plate pivoted at itsupper end to the trap door and having a ratchet tooth, a slide platehaving a forwardly projecting wing for engagement by said ratchet tooth,means for releasing the ratchet tooth from engagement with the saidwing, an entrance door, a clock train, intermediate devices between theclock train and the entrance door, whereby the clock train may open theentrance door, a restraining device for the clock train, and meansoperated from the sliding plate whereby to release the restrainingdevice of the clock train, substantially as set forth.

WILLIAM HAMILTON HARDEN.

Vitnesses:

CHAs. H. REMINGTON, C. C. MCRAE.A

